THE QUADY STORY

Andrew and Laurel Quady are the founders of Quady Winery. Their path into the wine world began with an exodus from southern California to pursue their dream: a rural way of life making wine.

1975

A new life

When Andrew Quady and his wife Laurel moved to the San Joaquin Valley to pursue a rural lifestyle and an enology degree at U.C. Davis for Andy, an earlier career producing explosives transformed into a more sensitive, but still dramatic life crafting intense muscat wines. 1600 cases of Zinfandel port started the Quadys off on sweet feet in 1975.

1979

He came, he saw, he made muscat

In a small San Joaquin valley town, Andrew Quady discovered an unused patch of the rare Orange Muscat grape varietal, known in Italy as Moscato Fior d’Arancio. These grapes became the first Essensia. This marked the birth of Quady Winery's muscat expertise - where the rich flavors of rare muscat varietals are celebrated and intensified rather than blended and softened.

1983

Sacrificial grapes

What to do with unwanted sacramental black muscat? Make heavenly Elysium Black Muscat dessert wine to transport you to the state of ideal bliss.

1984

A dedicated winemaker

Michael Blaylock joined Quady as winemaker to manage the sudden growth in winemaking operations inspired by Essensia Orange Muscat and Elysium Black Muscat Dessert Wines. Three decades later he has a lot of award winning sweet wines to smile about.

A new life

When Andrew Quady and his wife Laurel moved to the San Joaquin Valley to pursue a rural lifestyle and an enology degree at U.C. Davis for Andy, an earlier career producing explosives transformed into a more sensitive, but still dramatic life crafting intense muscat wines. 1600 cases of Zinfandel port started the Quadys off on sweet feet in 1975.

1979

He came, he saw, he made muscat

In a small San Joaquin valley town, Andrew Quady discovered an unused patch of the rare Orange Muscat grape varietal, known in Italy as Moscato Fior d’Arancio. These grapes became the first Essensia. This marked the birth of Quady Winery's muscat expertise - where the rich flavors of rare muscat varietals are celebrated and intensified rather than blended and softened.

1983

Sacrificial grapes

What to do with unwanted sacramental black muscat? Make heavenly Elysium Black Muscat dessert wine to transport you to the state of ideal bliss.

1984

A dedicated winemaker

Michael Blaylock joined Quady as winemaker to manage the sudden growth in winemaking operations inspired by Essensia Orange Muscat and Elysium Black Muscat Dessert Wines. Three decades later he has a lot of award winning sweet wines to smile about.

1988

Please pass the Starboard to the right

Port is traditionally passed around the table to the left. Not so with Starboard, port’s sibling on the other side of the world. Starboard resembles port in almost every way, except in geography, and in the softer, rounder, more voluptuous tannins that are a result of the unique climate found in the foothills of Amador county.

1990

You say moscato, we say Electra

We like to call them picnic wines, but fans of Electra and Red Electra Moscatos drink them anytime, and anywhere (they legally can!) These soft and tangy moscatos are a dramatic contrast to their rich, fortified muscat predecessors. The Electras are so light and fruity, they can be mistaken for the ripe run-off from the grapes, but they are very carefully vinified in the moscato d’asti style.

1999

Vermouth for modern tastes

Throw out what you know about vermouth and think again. This time think about quality wine, a culinary selection of whole dried herbs, and expert winemaking. Think about a mountain meadow after the rain, or the comforting aromas of holiday baking. Vya is aromatherapeutic. Relaxing. Enlivening. Enticing.

2005

The Quady North Winery Story

Andrew and Laurel partner with their winemaker son Herb Quady and found Quady North with a 100-acre estate vineyard in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon. The family plants the vineyard to Rhone varieties: Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Viognier.

2006

Deviation: a new twist in winemaking

A delicious deviation from traditional winemaking,Deviation is Orange Muscat dessert wine aromatized with the Mayan aphrodisiac Damiana and Rose Geranium. Damiana is wildharvested in South America, and Rose Geranium is grown at Quady Winery.

2009

Designated top U.S. producer

The International Wine and Spirits Competition, the largest wine show in the world, awarded Quady Winery its singular IWSC Trophy for the Best Overall Results in their 2009 show. Needless to say, Andrew Quady and Michael Blaylock were proud to be recognized for their achievements, shared among the entire Quady crew.

2012

A softer vermouth for subtle spirits

Vya Vermouth can do all kinds of things to enliven drinks, and now there's one more tool in the tool box with Vya Whisper Dry. Vya Whisper Dry plays wonderfully with subtle spirits like vodka, making a martini that smells beautifully but doesn't change the taste of the spirit too much. Vya Whisper Dry is also lovely all by itself in a wine glass, before dinner or with a light meal.

2016

Quady winery expands to keep pace with demand

Quady Winery expands to an expected 100,000 cases to keep up with demand for Moscato. Vya Vermouth production is also on the rise.

Quady Wines

Vya Vermouth

ABOUT QUADY WINES

In a small San Joaquin valley town, Andrew Quady discovered an unused patch of the rare Orange Muscat grape varietal, known in Italy as Moscato Fior d’Arancio. These grapes became the first Essensia. This marked the birth of Quady Winery's muscat expertise - where the rich flavors of rare muscat varietals are celebrated and intensified rather than blended and softened.

The varieties we use are rare, delicious expressions of the fruit filled San Joaquin Valley. The winemaking style is rich, full bodied, perfectly balanced, and unparalleled in any other muscat you can find.